Independence Day of India
"The Free Man Is He Who Does Not Fear To Go The End Of His Thought"
As we go back to the day on 14th August midnight of the year 1947, we can feel how the nation stood standstill when Jawaharlal Nehru gave his speech to the people which is famous for its simplicity loaded with patriotism and the excitement to break the news to the people who had a major role to play – the Freedom Struggle of India. The emotion of India was of expectancy and the words uttered by Nehru was so befitting that even now, we feel the strength and power of the words which he uttered solely for the Indians, which, I feel has to be addressed once more as India is going to celebrate her 65th Independence Day, due to its great significance in today’s society.
I would really like to show you some of the excerpts of Nehru’s “Tryst With Destiny” speech of that day, “Long years ago we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially. At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance. It is fitting that at this solemn moment, we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity.
The ambition of the greatest men of our generation has been to wipe every tear from every eye. That may be beyond us, but so long as there are tears and suffering, so long our work will not be over. And so we have to labour and to work, and work hard, to give reality to our dreams. Those dreams are for India, but they are also for the world, for all the nations and peoples are too closely knit together today for any one of them to imagine that it can live apart. Peace has been said to be indivisible; so is freedom, so is prosperity now, and so also is disaster in this One World that can no longer be split into isolated fragments.
The future beckons to us. Whither do we go and what shall be our endeavour? To bring freedom and opportunity to the common man, to the peasants and workers of India; to fight and end poverty and ignorance and disease; to build up a prosperous, democratic and progressive nation, and to create social, economic and political institutions which will ensure justice and fullness of life to every man and woman. We have hard work ahead. There is no resting for any one of us till we redeem our pledge in full, till we make all the people of India what destiny intended them to be. We are citizens of a great country on the verge of bold advance, and we have to live up to that high standard. All of us, to whatever religion we may belong, are equally the children of India with equal rights, privileges and obligations.
Reading this speech, we all know we have really failed the patriots who shed their blood for us, who with not a thought of their life gave it to the nation, so that we could live peacefully, have the freedom, that they were denied. They were courageous to stand up against the vices meted towards their fellow country men. Though many great Indian leaders had the luxuries and freedom of everything, they denied it and came out of the cocoon of their pampered life and voiced their displeasure against the atrocities meted to the common man. It was with their strength and support that the common man of India stood up.
We all know, that India was not short of courageous young men. We are their sons and daughters. Even now, we have the power in us to voice our displeasure against the vices like communalism, corruption, gender inequality, dowry system, terrorism, etc.. which we are immersed in. But we are not doing it. Why ? Because of fear? or Is it because it doesn’t affect you? Well you might have lots of reason not to respond but you cannot run away from evil as it would catch you in the long run and strangle you, then it would be too late. So act now.
We can celebrate any number of Independence Day but if we have to feel the contentment and pride for being an Indian, then we have to come out of the cocoon of sluggishness and respond to the cry of fellow Indians who are being suffocated by several social evils of India. Its high time we pledge and pass on the beacon of light which was passed on by our great patriots of India for posterity - to have a free India and to wipe every tear of its children, so that they may enjoy the fruits of their labour which they gave us by giving their life for the nation. Every blood counts and we have a responsibility to cherish it and keep it alive in the hearts of the Indians. Only then we can celebrate the Independence Day.
This Nation Will Remain The Land Of The Free Only So Long As It Is The Home Of The Braves.
Come On Rise And Shine For The Day Is Yours.
happy independence day
Meena
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